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Exciting news!
Over the weekend, the Governor signed AB 2107 authored by Assemblymember Phil Chen.
This measure, sponsored by the California Society of Pathologists (CSP), will authorize pathologists to review digital materials at a remote location under a primary laboratory sites’ Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certificate, upon a determination made by the Department of Public Health (CDPH) affirming compliance with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) interpretation of federal statute.
Under this bill, CDPH is required to consult with CMS by the end of June 2025 and then determine by the end of 2025 whether pathologists in California may perform remote review in compliance with federal law.
Since 49 other states allow remote review, CSP is hopeful the required consultation with CMS will reverse CDPH’s existing opinion that a change in federal law must be made to authorize remote review.
While the signing of AB 2107 is an important step, there is still more work to be done. CSP will continue to monitor the bill’s implementation and to expand its work toward opening patient access to care, promoting our state’s clinical laboratory’s ability to adapt/modernize, and enhancing our physician workforce.
On behalf of the CSP Board of Directors, I am pleased to recognize Dr. Anne Duecher and the members of her Advocacy and Practice Management Committee, for their efforts to develop and advance this important legislation. AB 2107 will assure increased access to care for our patients and improve the responsiveness of California pathologists to benefit our partners in medicine. Thanks also go to CSP’s lobbying team of Ryan Spencer and Cathleen Galgiani who provided CSP leadership with expert guidance within a complex legislative and regulatory environment.
The establishment of CSP’s new Advocacy and Practice Management Committee was part of a major organizational overhaul initiated by the CSP Board of Directors at our annual planning meeting last January. By assigning the day-to-day oversight of CSP’s advocacy agenda to the committee, the Board of Directors has been able to more effectively direct and oversee CSP’s operations and finances.
The success of AB 2107 is indicative of the great progress your board of directors and committee members have made to enhance CSP’s efforts to more effectively serve our members and advance the practice of pathology in California.
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